Data centre heat used to warm greenhouses

A Dutch data centre will be used to warm nearby greenhouses in a collaboration between data centre developer Parthenon, and architects Royal Haskoning.

Heat from the planned 10,000 sq. ft. facility will be channeled to help cultivate tomatoes and paprika’s growing in greenhouses located in Wieringermeer 45 kilometers north of Amsterdam. If the initiative progresses to schedule, construction will start in January 2010, and the new data centre will be ready for operation in November 2010, says Parthenon managing director Pieter Duijves.

“This [project] will provide green IT for businesses and consumers,” Duijves adds. “The world’s IT giants have expressed serious interest in this unique Dutch design… it could become a Dutch export item.”

The green data centre an average capacity of 5 kilowatts per square meter. Energy use optimisation is established across the data centre and the surrounding greenhouse growers by exchange of heat, cold and electricity in combination with heat and cold storage.More IT section news